Ristorante Sabatini was established in 1954 in Trastevere, Rome, by three brothers, Salvatore, Silvestro and Francesco Sabatini. The restaurant industry was in their blood, having worked in family restaurants from a young age, before moving to Rome and gaining experience in typical Roman restaurants. 

Born in 1933, Francesco the youngest and most-travelled of the Sabatini brothers was in Hong Kong last month to celebrate a revamped kitchen, and to kick off the artichoke promotion at Sabatini. A vivacious man, with a sparkle in his eyes, and an obvious passion for food, wine and his restaurants. I found his energy impressive and his charming manner to be quintessentially Italian.

What was your first role in your restaurant in Rome and what do you look after now?

Like my brothers I did it all, from the cleaning of the glasses, to taking orders, to cooking, to taking care of customers.

I have always been active since the beginning and I still do a little of everything. I am never still. I am still entertaining the guests, I am still in the kitchen, I still slice the ham, I select the wines that we stock, and I take care of the finances. As I said a little of everything.

What was your goal when you and your brothers opened your restaurant?

We wanted to have a true Roman cuisine restaurant, not Italian, but Roman. We were one of the first restaurants to re-educate diners, even local diners about the cuisine. This was the 1950s and being post-war the trend was to serve huge portions of food, food that filled the stomach, for example deep-fried fish.

The delicacy of Roman cuisine had been forgotten, so we brought it back. For example the use of shrimp and clams. Very few restaurants at the time were using shrimp at all, they were all using fish, but not varieties of shrimp like we did. And clams, we were serving spaghetti with clams, but clams in the shell, which other were not. Oxtail was another ingredient that had been forgotten and we served it in traditional ways.

Our focus was on 'new' dishes, but dishes based on the cuisine of Rome. Our restaurant became famous for its quality and its cuisine.

The restaurant has been family run since the beginning, how many family members work there now?

It is only me and my brother Silvestro now, our other brother Salvatore died eight years ago. My children are not involved in the restaurant, they are doing what they want to do and I support this. The longterm future of the restaurant is not certain.

Has the menu changed much since you opened?

No, it has changed little in over 50 years. Of course, we have added new dishes over the years, and we do seasonal dishes, but we have never forgotten the point of the restaurant. To serve traditional cuisine. This is very important.

We search for the top ingredients, and use only the best. If a particular region in Italy has the best particular ingredient, a certain bean for example, we will buy it from there and only from there as the flavour etc will vary according to the region. We take a modern approach to a traditional cuisine.

You must have seen some famous people come into the restaurant over the years, who stands out?

There have been so many that there are very few famous people who have not come to the restaurant at some point. From astronauts like Neil Armstrong, to important men from the Vatican, to famous actors. During the 1960s a lot of movies were shot in Italy and we had all the big names of the time, such as Robert Mitchum, Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida, it was normal. Luciano Pavarotti is another. So many.

Sometimes we become known by chance. For example, one night in the 1960s it was raining and the last table was a group of four men, one of them asked me to call a taxi, I said forget it, there is no chance to get a taxi in this weather. Wait half an hour and have a glass of wine and then I will give you a lift to your hotel. I remember vividly how much like a cowboy this man looked, a large man and his friends, squeezed into my tiny car. Back at the hotel he invited me to have a drink with him, but I said No I had to get home. The concierge told me that I should have a drink with the man as he was the CEO of Paramount Films. The next year the second in charge of the film studio came for a meal and had a list that Paramount had created about what you should do when in Rome. Number 1 was go to Sabatini, number two, visit the Coliseum. Since then most of the Hollywood stars have been coming to Sabatini when in Rome.

You seem to have the energy and enthusiasm of a man half your age, what is your secret? 

It's all about attitude. It's all in the mind. If I think I am tired then I will feel tired. I do find the heat of the summer hard, but with the right attitude I get through. The right attitude to life can keep you young.

Why do you like to be so active in the restaurant still, even serving diners their meals?

I love being in my restaurants, it is my life. What else should I do, become an old man? I love to get to work around 7.30 in the morning and get straight into the kitchen to begin preparation, often arriving hours before others. My life is in the restaurants, it gives me passion. A passion for what I do and a passion for life.

What is your favourite comfort food?

Pasta Fagioli (pasta and beans). I eat a lot of beans and lentils and very little meat, and can live without eating meat or fish, but I am a big fan of beans and pasta.

Do you have any other comments about your life or experiences you would like to share?

I am very happy with both of my restaurants, here in Hong Kong and in Rome. I find when I come to Hong Kong, which I do several times a year, I get talking to diners and find that many have eaten at my restaurant in Rome, and everyone is so friendly.

I am very happy with my life, very content with life. Six years ago I went through a very difficult time with throat cancer, I told the doctor that I can't die yet, I still have so much more to do.